Climate change may pose the greatest risk it ever has in history to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, but urban and flash flooding seem to the last of the provincial government's concerns. Many districts of the province have been left highly vulnerable, including city centres.
Peshawar, the biggest and most populated urban centre, has also been in danger of urban flooding as a result of abnormally high rainfall, but there seems to be no planning to avert disaster.
The city was severely affected by the floods in 2010 and onwards. That year, floods in River Kabul and Budni Nullah inundated a large part of the district and affected 16 union councils, destroyed 33,867 houses and left 46 people dead in their wake.
In the past, annual floods were an annual routine and as a result, locals learnt how to cope with the situation.
Human settlements were established at a safe distance from rivers and nullahs to ensure the smooth flow of waterways, while construction along the river banks was avoided at all costs.
For instance, the original width of the Budhni nullah in Peshawar is 250 meters, as per the official record. The same is the case with Naguman River, Kabul and Bara rivers. However, as time has gone on, human settlements have encroached on the river beds.
Experts say it is the responsibility of the Irrigation Department and district administration to remove all such buildings to minimise damage in the aftermath of a torrential downpour. Today, nearly all nullahs, waterways and river banks in the jurisdiction of Peshawar district have shrunk in size.
Homes have been built on the river beds, and their number is rapidly increasing with each passing day. One particular example is the nullah in Phase III Chowk, Peshawar.
Several buildings have encroached upon this nullah, right under the nose of Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), Irrigation Department and even the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
When contacted, former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa IGP and Good Governance Forum Chairman Syed Akhtar Ali Shah said that although deputy commissioners and divisional commissioners do act in times of disaster, the failure to act in advance - that is their lack of focus on preventive action over the years - is responsible for the potentially disastrous situation.
"Years of neglect to implement laws against encroachments is one of the major causes of inundation, severe damage, and environmental pollution.
He said that as revenue collectors, DCs and divisional commissioners are required to carry out periodic checks on channels and waterways. "As administrators, they are supposed to ensure the implementation of the Canal and Drainage Act," he pointed out.
"Unfortunately, there is serious neglect in the context. All matters have been left at the disposal of the respective patwari, district qanungo, irrigation sub-engineer, and at best the tehsildar."
He alleged that these officials are generally in cahoots with those who have raised mostly illegal constructions in these areas, thus blocking natural water courses. "It is the ineptness and corruption on the part of these commissioners and deputy commissioners - who are posted without being vetted by intelligence officials - that has often resulted in what is called criminal negligence."
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